KR940010350B1 - Dimensionally stable carpet tile - Google Patents

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Description

Dimensionally stable carpet tiles

The present invention relates to a dimensionally stable carpet tile and a method of manufacturing the same. More specifically, the present invention relates to a carpet tile having a specific support layer formed on the underside of a carpet base sheet and exhibiting high dimensional stability over a wide temperature range and a method for producing the same.

The carpet typically has a support layer formed on the underside of the carpet base sheet for fixing the pile of the carpet base sheet and for enhancing cushioning properties and slip resistance. For example, many carpets have a support layer of rubber, latex, polyvinyl chloride resin or polyethylene resin for this purpose. Asphalt is also a well known material for inexpensively forming support layers, and moreover, App (atactic polypropylene) is also used as a component of the support layer-forming material.

As used herein, the term "carpet tile" is in a predetermined form; For example, it refers to a carpet plate having a square, rectangular, rhombus or other complex shape and having an area of about 0.05 to 2 m 2. Carpet tiles can be used to completely cover the floor surface by bonding them together without leaving gaps between them.

Compared to conventional carpets, carpet tiles are advantageous in that they are easy to handle and are easily attached or secured to the floor, which can be combined to easily form various patterns and color combinations.

Normally, carpet tiles should be in close contact with the floor surface and secured to the floor and should not fall off the floor surface when people walk on it.

Carpet tiles are usually fastened to the floor surface using adhesives, nails, tackless nails or tacks, but these fastening means are inconvenient to lay the tiles and it is difficult to separate the fixed carpet tiles from the floor surface afterwards and it takes a lot of time and labor. It is disadvantageous because it requires.

Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publications 125829/79 and 142644/80 describe a support layer comprising an inexpensive asphalt composition. Asphalt compositions are disadvantageous in that they produce odors, thereby easily soiling factories, when walls or floors are often soiled by carpet tiles, and the supporting layer produced easily cracks when exposed to low temperatures or sharp deformations.

Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication Nos. 6127/75 and 112591/75 describe a support layer of carpet tiles made of atactic polypropylene compositions. Atactic polypropylene is an amorphous polymer with low degree of polymerization, low viscosity and low cost and is obtained as a by-product in the isotactic polypropylene-making process. However, it is difficult to obtain atactic polypropylene having satisfactory properties, uniform quality and practicality at low temperatures. In addition, since atactic polypropylene is obtained as a by-product, its molecular weight depends on the molecular weight of the desired isotactic polypropylene. Thus, complex control and separation processes are required to obtain atactic polypropylenes having the desired melt viscosity, softening point, curing point, and other properties as desired.

In addition, since a solvent is used to separate the atactic polypropylene from the isotactic polypropylene, it is very difficult to obtain only the atactic polypropylene containing no solvent at all.

When using atactic polypropylene having the above disadvantages, the support layer of the carpet tile produced is not satisfactory in various properties, for example, pile-fixed strength at low temperature, residual solvents are odorous and highly flammable, and the viscosity of the composition It is difficult to form a uniform and dimensional stability support layer by covering the atactic polypropylene composition using a doctor knife because the tension required to attach the composition is not uniform due to the inhomogeneity. Is disadvantageous.

Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 272878/89 discloses a support layer from an amorphous propylene-ethylene copolymer which is not a byproduct of isotactic polypropylene and has a number average molecular weight of 1,000 to 20,000 and a copolymerized ethylene content of 8 to 30% by weight. To produce carpet tiles. This support layer has satisfactory properties at low temperatures, but this type of support layer does not have satisfactory properties at high temperatures. Thus, when the manufactured carpet tiles are placed on the floor in a floor-heated room or placed near a fireplace, hot air outlet or heating panel, they may deform or dent when a load is applied to the support layer.

It is an object of the present invention to dimensionally stable carpet tiles that are dimensionally stable not only at low temperatures (e.g. below -20 ° C) but also at high temperatures (e.g. 50 to 60 ° C) and solvents which have a odor or irritating odor or remain in the support layer-forming material. There is no risk of causing ignition due to the method for producing it.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a dimensionally stable carpet and a method of manufacturing the same, wherein the support layer has a uniform thickness and satisfactory cushioning and slip prevention effects.

The object is (A) carpet base sheet; And (B) (1) (a) 100 parts by weight of an amorphous propylene-ethylene random copolymer containing ethylene having a number average molecular weight of 1,000 to 20,000 and copolymerized in an amount of at least 2% by weight and less than 8% by weight, (b) A resin component comprising 5 to 200 parts by weight of a tackifier and (c) 0 to 100 parts by weight of a further polymer resin comprising at least one component selected from an ethylene-based polymer and a crystalline propylene-based polymer; And (2) a dimensionally stable carpet tile of the present invention comprising a support layer formed on the bottom surface of the carpet base sheet, comprising 10 to 500% by weight of a filler based on the weight of the resin component.

The dimensionally stable carpet tiles (1) (a) 100 parts by weight of an amorphous propylene-ethylene random copolymer containing ethylene copolymerized in an amount of from 1,000 to 20,000 with a number average molecular weight of at least 2% by weight and less than 8% by weight. (b) a resin component comprising from 0 to 100 parts by weight of a further polymeric resin comprising at least 5 to 200 parts by weight of a tackifier and (c) at least one component selected from an ethylene-based polymer and a crystalline propylene-based polymer; And (2) coating the lower surface of the carpet base sheet with a melt of a resin composition comprising 10 to 500 wt% of a filler based on the weight of the resin component, and solidifying the coated layer of the melt of the prepared resin composition. After forming, the prepared carpet sheet may be cut or punched to produce a carpet tile having a predetermined shape and dimension.

The carpet tile of the present invention includes a carpet base sheet and a support layer formed on the bottom surface thereof. The bottom side of the backing layer is optionally laminated with additional layers of woven, knitted or nonwoven split yarn fabrics or synthetic resin films or sheets, consisting of paper sheets, natural, recycled, semisynthetic and / or synthetic fibers.

The carpet base sheet that can be used in the present invention is not limited to a particular carpet and is usually selected from the group consisting of tufted carpet, woven carpet, knitted carpet, needle-punched carpet, needle-felt carpet and felt. Preferably, the carpet base sheet consists of a nonwoven type carpet but the carpet base sheet may consist of pile carpet.

The support layer usable in the present invention comprises (1) (a) a number average molecular weight of 1,000 to 20,000, preferably 2,000 to 15,000, copolymerized in an amount of at least 2% by weight and less than 8% by weight, preferably 2.5 to 7.5% by weight. 100 parts by weight of an amorphous (amorphous) propylene-ethylene random copolymer containing ethylene, (b) 5 to 200 parts by weight of a tackifier, preferably 5 to 180 parts by weight, more preferably 10 to 150 parts by weight (c) 0 to 100 parts by weight, preferably 1 to 100 parts by weight, more preferably 5 to 100 parts by weight of a further polymer resin comprising at least one component selected from ethylene-based polymers and crystalline propylene-based polymers. Resin components comprising mixtures; And (2) 10 to 500% by weight, preferably 50 to 450% by weight, of filler based on the weight of the resin component (1).

The particular amorphous propylene-ethylene random copolymer is not a by-product of the isotactic propylene polymer preparation, and is usually a catalyst composition containing a titanium compound and triethyl aluminum held on a magnesium chloride carrier and the presence of a molecular weight modifier consisting of a minority Is a copolymerization product of a mixture of liquefied propylene and ethylene, wherein ethylene is at least 2% and less than 8% by weight based on the total weight of the mixture.

Since random copolymers can be prepared as desired products by synthetic methods, specific random copolymers having a predetermined polymerization ratio of propylene to ethylene, a desired molecular weight, a desired softening point and / or a melting point and a desired melt viscosity are obtained. Easy to do In addition, since the copolymerization process of propylene and ethylene does not include the step of performing the polymerization product without using a polymerization medium (solvent), and the solvent is used to produce the polymerization product, the resulting copolymers are at risk of ignition and odor. Or no irritating odor.

The amorphous propylene-ethylene copolymer should have a number average molecular weight of 1,000 to 20,000 and the content of copolymerized ethylene should be at least 2% by weight and less than 8% by weight.

When the number average molecular weight is less than 1,000, the resulting copolymer exhibits unsatisfactory cohesion, so that the prepared support layer is not satisfactory in adhesion to the carpet base sheet. When the number average molecular weight is 20,000 or more, the produced copolymer has a high melting boiling point and low fluidity, making it difficult to homogeneously blend with other components, and the prepared resin composition melt is difficult to uniformly coat on the carpet base sheet.

When the content of copolymerized ethylene is at least 8% by weight, the prepared support layer exhibits unsatisfactory dimensional stability and resistance to unsatisfactory deformation when exposed to high temperatures (eg 50 to 60 ° C.), while high temperatures (eg The dimensional stability of the prepared support layer at 50 to 60 ° C.) is satisfactory. In addition, when a local load is applied to a part of the manufactured carpet pile, the carpet tile is recessed or deformed.

When the content of copolymerized ethylene is less than 2% by weight, the prepared support layer is not satisfactory in mechanical properties at low temperatures (eg, -10 ° C to -20 ° C).

The resin component contains 5 to 200 parts by weight of the tackifier in the amorphous propylene-ethylene random copolymer, preferably 5 to 180 parts by weight, more preferably 10 to 150 parts by weight.

Tackifiers that can be used in the present invention include natural rosin, such as rubber rosin, wood rosin and toe oil rosin, modified rosin, such as polymerized rosin, hydrogenated rosin and maleic acid rosin, coumarone- At least one component selected from the group consisting of indene resins, terpene resins, petroleum resins and phenol resins.

When the amount of the tackifier is less than 5% by weight, the prepared support layer has a disadvantage in that the strength bonded to the carpet base sheet is poor. In addition, when the amount of the tackifier is more than 200% by weight, the prepared support layer has a disadvantage of low softening point and flexibility.

The resin component further comprises from 0 to 100 parts by weight, preferably from 10 to 100 parts by weight of an additional polymer resin consisting of at least one component selected from ethylene-based polymers and crystalline propylene-based polymers, per 100 parts by weight of amorphous propylene-ethylene random copolymers. It contains in the amount of 80 weight part.

Ethylene-based polymers that can be used in the present invention include polyethylene (e.g. low density polyethylene, straight chain low density polyethylene, medium density polyethylene and high density polyethylene), ethylene-based α-olefin copolymers (e.g. ethylene and propylene, butene, pentene, hexene , Copolymers of at least one component selected from heptene and octene), ethylene-based vinyl ester copolymers (e.g., copolymers of at least one component selected from ethylene and vinyl acetate and vinyl propionate), ethylene-based unsaturated carboxylic acids Ester copolymers (e.g., copolymers of ethylene with one or more components selected from methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate and ethyl methacrylate) and isomers of said polymers and copolymers .

In ethylene-based copolymers, the content of polymerized or copolymerized ethylene ranges from 60 to 100% by weight.

The crystalline propylene-based polymer that can be used in the present invention is selected from crystalline propylene homopolymers, crystalline propylene-ethylene random copolymers, and crystalline propylene-ethylene block copolymers. Preferably, the content of polymerized propylene in the crystalline propylene-based polymer is in the range from 80 to 100% by weight.

Preferred further polymeric resins consist of at least one component selected from crystalline polypropylene and blends of crystalline polypropylene with ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers.

The additional polymeric resin effectively enhances the cohesion and adhesion of the resin component produced. Nevertheless, when the content of the additional polymer resin is 100% by weight or more, the prepared support layer is not satisfactory in hardness and ductility, does not fit well on the floor surface and has poor internal load resistance.

The resin component optionally contains a reactive polymer, for example a reactive urethane prepolymer having an isocyanate group bonded to the end of the prepolymer molecule, preferably in an amount of 0 to 10 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the amorphous propylene-ethylene random copolymer. do.

The support layer is formed by a resin blend of the filler and the resin component in an amount of 10 to 500%, preferably 20 to 400%, based on the weight of the resin component.

Fillers usable in the present invention are not limited to specific fillers as long as they can be used in rubber and plastic resinous materials.

The filler may contain carbon black. Nevertheless, white fillers are preferred for the present invention because they can be mixed with other additives such as pigments or dyes. In addition, fillers are preferably inexpensive.

Fillers usable in the present invention usually contain one or more components selected from calcium carbonate, clay, silica, talc, barium sulfate, calcium sulfate, calcium sulfite and zinc oxide.

The filler mixed with the resin component effectively increases the specific gravity (weight) of the prepared support layer and enhances the slip prevention effect of the support layer.

When the amount of the filler is less than 10%, the carpet tiles produced are too light and the slip preventing effect of the prepared support layer is not satisfactory. In addition, when the amount of the filler is 500% or more, the prepared support layer is fragile and easily cracked when folded and easily broken when impacted.

The support layer usable in the present invention may optionally contain a small amount, such as up to 5% by weight, of an antioxidant, colorant, emollient, such as one or more components selected from liquid polybutene, oil tablets and beeswax, based on the resin component. It contains an additive.

The dimensionally stable carpet tile is preferably a resin component 100 containing (1) (a) 100 parts by weight of a particular amorphous propylene-ethylene random copolymer at a temperature of 120 to 250 ° C, more preferably 180 to 200 ° C. A resin component comprising parts by weight, (b) 5-200 parts by weight of a tackifier, and (c) 0-100 parts by weight of a specific additional polymer resin; And (2) preparing a melt of the resin composition from 10 to 500% by weight of the filler based on the resin component (1); Coating the bottom surface of the carpet base sheet with a melt of the resin composition at this temperature; The coated layer of the resulting composition melt solidifies on a carpet base sheet to form a support layer; The carpet sheet produced is cut or punched to produce a carpet tile having a predetermined shape and dimension.

In the preparation of the resin composition melt, the resin component is melted and then a filler is gradually added to the resin component melt with stirring.

Preferably, the resin composition is in the form of a melt because the amorphous propylene-ethylene random copolymer and the additional polymer resin do not have very high heat resistance and are sometimes degraded or molecularly chain-cut by heat at high temperatures at which the resin melts. Do not keep it for a long time.

In addition, the coating temperature should be lower than the melting point of the synthetic fibers contained in the carpet base sheet to prevent melting of the fibers in the carpet base sheet and shrinkage of the carpet base sheet.

Preferably, the thickness of the support layer is in the range of 0.5 mm to 20 mm.

The carpet tile of the present invention and its manufacturing method are advantageous in the following points:

(1) In the manufacturing method of the carpet tile at high temperature and its use, the support layer forming resin composition does not cause odor or irritating odor and risk of ignition.

(2) The support layer of the carpet tile has a uniform and accurate thickness.

(3) The resin composition of the support layer can be uniformly and smoothly coated on the carpet base sheet by exhibiting an appropriate melt viscosity.

(4) The support layer has satisfactory cushioning effect, mechanical strength and slip prevention effect.

(5) Carpet tiles have high dimensional stability, crack resistance and deformation resistance at high temperature as well as at low temperature.

The present invention is described in more detail by the specific embodiments, which are merely exemplary and in no way limit the scope of the invention.

[Examples 1 to 4 and Control Examples 1 and 2]

[Component Material]

(A) amorphous propylene-ethylene random copolymers (1), (2) and (3)

Three types of amorphous propylene-ethylene random copolymers each having a number average molecular weight and a copolymerized ethylene content as described in Table 1 were prepared by the following method.

TABLE 1

An autoclave reactor equipped with a stirrer is charged with a predetermined amount of reaction mixture of ethylene and liquefied propylene. Molecular weight modifier consisting of hydrogen and catalyst composition containing 2.5% by weight of titanium at 80 ° C. and titanium compound catalyst held on magnesium chloride carrier and triethyl aluminum in a molar ratio of Al to Ti of 100: 1. The copolymerization reaction is carried out in the presence of.

(B) further ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers for polymer resins

Content of copolymerized vinyl acetate: 28% by weight

Melt Index: 150g / 10min

Ube Industries, Inc. sold under the trademark Z 289

(C) additional crystalline polypropylene for polymer resin

Melt Index: 13g / 10min

Ube Industries, Inc. is marketed under the trademark J 130G.

(D) tackifier

Yasuhara Yushi Kabushikigaisha YS resin

Polyterpene resins available under the trademark PX1000.

(E) filler

Calcium bicarbonate

[Production of Resin Composition]

In Examples 1-4 and Control Examples 1 and 2, the ingredients of the amounts shown in Table 2 were charged to a mixing oven and heated and melted homogeneously with stirring at 180 to 190 ° C., followed by mixing calcium bicarbonate with the melt with stirring. To provide a uniform resin composition for the support layer.

[Manufacture of Carpet Tiles]

The bottom surface of the roof carpet base sheet not treated with rubber latex was coated with a melt of the resin composition using a knife for drawing to form a support layer having a thickness of 3 mm.

The prepared carpet sheet was cut to provide a carpet tile 50 cm long and 50 cm wide.

[Test Method for Carpet Tiles]

(A) Content of copolymerized ethylene in the copolymer

This content is measured by NMR method.

(B) Number average molecular weight of copolymer

It is measured by the GPC method at a temperature of 130 ° C. in the medium consisting of ODCB.

(C) low temperature flexural strength

A specimen sheet 10 mm long, 10 mm wide, and 2 mm thick was bent around a 25 mm diameter rod to observe whether cracks appeared in the support layer.

(D) needle penetration

It is measured according to JIS K2207 at a temperature of 40 ° C.

(E) thread-raveling strength

This is measured according to JIS K2207.

(F) Thickness of carpet support layer on hot floor surface

The carpet tiles are placed on the concrete floor surface, the 10 cm long and 10 cm wide carpet sections are pressurized with a load of 10 kg and the pressurized carpet tiles are left at 50 ° C. for 24 hours and then cooled to room temperature.

The cross section of the pressed carpet tile portion is observed to measure the thickness of the support layer of the pressed portion.

The test results are shown in Table 2.

TABLE 2

week(*)… The thickness of the carpet tile portion surrounding the hot-pressed carpet tile portion is increased.

Claims (10)

(A) carpet base sheet; And (B) (1) (a) 100 parts by weight of an amorphous propylene-ethylene random copolymer containing ethylene having a number average molecular weight of 1,000 to 20,000 and copolymerized in an amount of at least 2% by weight and less than 8% by weight, (b ) A resin component comprising 5 to 200 parts by weight of a tackifier and (c) 0 to 100 parts by weight of an additional polymer resin comprising at least one component selected from an ethylene-based polymer and a crystalline propylene-based polymer; And (2) a support layer formed on the underside of the carpet base sheet, the filler comprising 10 to 500% by weight of a filler based on the weight of the resin component. The mixture of liquefied propylene and ethylene in accordance with claim 1, wherein the amorphous propylene-ethylene random copolymer comprises a catalyst composition comprising a titanium compound held on a magnesium chloride carrier and a pentyl aluminum and a molecular weight modifier consisting of hydrogen Wherein ethylene is a copolymerization product of at least 2% by weight and less than 8% by weight based on the total weight of the mixture. The carpet tile according to claim 1, wherein the tackifier comprises one or more components selected from natural rosin, modified rosin, coumarone-indene resin, terpene resin, petroleum resin and phenolic resin. 2. The ethylene-based polymer of claim 1 wherein the ethylene-based polymers are low density polyethylene, straight chain low density polyethylene, medium density polyethylene and high density polyethylene, ethylene-based α-olefin copolymers, ethylene-based vinyl ester copolymers, ethylene-based unsaturated carboxylic acid ester copolymers. And isonomomo of the polymer and copolymer. The carpet tile of claim 1 wherein the crystalline propylene-based polymer is selected from crystalline propylene homopolymers, crystalline propylene-ethylene random copolymers, and crystalline propylene-ethylene block copolymers. The carpet tile according to claim 1, wherein the filler comprises at least one component selected from calcium carbonate, clay, silica, talc, barium sulfate, calcium sulfate, calcium sulfite and zinc oxide and carbon black. The carpet tile according to claim 1, wherein the carpet base sheet is selected from tufted carpet, woven carpet, knitted carpet, needle-punched carpet, needle-felt carpet and felt. The carpet tile according to claim 1, wherein the support layer has a thickness of 0.5 to 20 mm. (1) (a) 100 parts by weight of an amorphous propylene-ethylene random copolymer containing ethylene having a number average molecular weight of 1,000 to 20,000 and copolymerized in an amount of at least 2% by weight and less than 8% by weight, (b) a tackifier 5 To 200 parts by weight, and (c) from 0 to 100 parts by weight of an additional polymer resin comprising at least one component selected from ethylene-based polymers and crystalline propylene-based polymers; And (2) coating the bottom surface of the carpet base sheet with a melt of a resin composition comprising 10 to 500% by weight of a filler based on the weight of the resin component: solidifying the coated layer of the melt of the prepared resin composition Formed; A method of making the dimensionally stable carpet tiles as claimed in claim 1, comprising the step of cutting or punching the manufactured carpet sheet into a carpet tile having a predetermined shape and dimension. The method of claim 9 wherein the coating process is carried out at a resin composition temperature of 120 to 250 ° C.